BEA2026: Full Schedule

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9:00am PDT

Student Winners Celebration - BEA Student Festival of Media Arts Award Ceremony & Signature Station Awardsature Station Awards

Monday April 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT

W316

Please join us as we celebrate all the student winners from the 2026 Festival of Media Arts and the 2026 Signature Station Awards. Student winners attending the convention will be individually called on stage to receive their certificates.

BEA Festival of Media Arts Committee Chair: Heather Dunn, Arizona State University

Signature Station Award Winners

Television Signature Station Awards
1st Place: Z News; University of South Florida
Honorable Mention: AUCTV; The American University in Cairo

Radio Signature Station Awards
1st Place: WRHU FM; Hofstra University
Honorable Mention: WQSU 88.9 FM. The Pulse; Susquehanna University

Moderators

Heather Dunn

Arizona State University

Speakers

Marjorie Yambor

Dalton State College

Monday April 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
W316

BEA, Festival of Media Arts | News, Festival of Media Arts | Student Spotlight, Festival of Media Arts

9:00am PDT

Building Blocks of a Better Team

Monday April 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT

W309

Is your team clicking together like a perfectly built structure or clunking along like mismatched pieces? Strong collaboration and communication are the foundation of any high-performing team, and in this interactive session, you’ll discover how to strengthen both through the power of play.

Using building blocks as both metaphor and hands-on tool, we’ll explore what it takes to build trust, align around shared goals and adapt to change. You’ll gain fresh insights into team dynamics, leadership styles and the invisible structures that support effective teamwork. Come ready to build, reflect and leave with practical strategies for assembling a more connected, resilient team: one brick at a time.

Moderators

Tara Puckey

President & CEO, RTDNA

Tara Puckey, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CMP is the President and CEO of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and RTDNA Foundation. She has held senior leadership roles at both RTDNA and the Society of Professional Journalists, and has trained more than 3,000 journalists and... Read More →

Monday April 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
W309

News, Workshop | BEA, Workshop

9:00am PDT

Community News and Student Reporting

Monday April 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT

W310

University led student reporting programs provide high impact learning experiences for students AND trusted sources of information for local communities. In these programs student reporters (generally though classes or managed internships) cover local communities and their content is shared with media partners or distributed directly. These are programs where professionals edit and vet the student work and work with media partners to provide stories to meet local needs and to journalism standards.

Moderators

Richard Watts

Director, Center for Community News - University of Vermont

The role of students in community news!

Speakers

Chandra Clark

Associate Professor, University of Alabama

Multimedia journalism educator, electronic news/broadcast producer for life, and community journalism advocate. The transition from professional newsroom and freelance producer/pr practitioner includes helping the public and educators understand the role of broadcast journalism in... Read More →

Rick Brunson

Senior Instructor, University of Central Florida

Maria Fernanda Camacho

Spanish Language News Manager, WUFT-University of Florida

Monday April 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
W310

Service Learning & Community Engagement BEA News

10:15am PDT

The Future of Broadcast Journalism: Dual Enrollment High School Programs

Monday April 20, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am PDT

W311

The threat to the integrity of journalism is at an all-time high. Media is adapting to technological changes such as AI, combating widespread disinformation, and the constant change in how the public consumes news. In addition, high school and college broadcast programs deal with roadblocks such as: as misalignment of curriculum, credit transfer issues and liability considerations. Changes such as these highlight the need to strengthen dual-enrollment programs. Statistics show this educational advantage improves the career opportunities for future journalists especially for students living in underrepresented areas and demographics.
Moderator: Chalise Macklin, University of Memphis
Panelists: Roxane Coche, University of Florida
Harrison Hove, University of Florida
Brian Bentley, Clark Atlanta University

Moderators

Chalise Macklin

University of Memphis

Speakers

Brian Bentley

Associate Dean Arts & Sciences/Assistant Professor Mass Media Arts, Clark Atlanta University

Dr. Brian Bentley has dedicated 24-plus years to higher education, earning educational accolades with a doctorate while working to complete a second doctorate. In addition, he has earned three master’s degrees: an MA in Mass Communications, an MFA in Creating Writing, and an MBA... Read More →

Roxane Coche

University of Florida

Harrison Hove

Associate Chair, University of Florida

Monday April 20, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am PDT
W311

News, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | BEA, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs

11:30am PDT

Festival of Media Arts: Faculty Showcase Session & Awards - News, Film & Video and Audio Competitions

Monday April 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT

W311

Please join us as we recognize all of the Faculty Festival winners from News competition.

After the awards are handed out, we will hear from our Best of Competition winners from News, Film & Video and Audio.
Confirmed Presenters

Faculty Film & Video
Commercial or PSA Category
House of Honey; Jonathan Vinson, Huntington University

Mixed/Pedagogical Category
ALL ONE; Rodrigo Gómez Claros, Skye Baxter, Cooper Rogers, Seth Savage & Stacey Teves, Middle Tennessee State University

Faculty News
Television Feature News Reporting Category
From Denver to Mecca: A CNN producer’s personal pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest site; Kareem El Damanhoury, Muhammad Darwish, Angelica Pursley & Matog Saleh, University of Denver

Faculty Audio
Radio Station Promo, PSA, Commercial Category
Universal Electric Scooter and Skateboard Life Insurance; Don Connelly, Western Carolina University

Moderators

Heather Dunn

Arizona State University

Speakers

Don Connelly

Professor, Faculty Advisor 95.3 WWCU, Western Carolina University

Throughout a 23 year broadcasting career and now 24 years in academia, Connelly has always maintained a keen interest in production. He is a five-time recipient of the Broadcast Education Association’s Best of Competition Award and a five-time recipient of the Best of Festival Charles... Read More →

Jonathan Vinson

Huntington University

Rodrigo Gómez Claros

Associate Professor of Animation, Middle Tennessee State University

Rodrigo Gómez-Claros, a Colombian native and US citizen, is an award-winning graphic designer and animator. He holds degrees from the National University of Colombia and the Rochester Institute of Technology. With over 14 years at Mattel/Fisher-Price, he produced and directed numerous... Read More →

Kareem El Damanhoury

University of Denver

Monday April 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
W311

BEA, Festival of Media Arts | News, Festival of Media Arts | Production Aesthetics & Criticism, Festival of Media Arts | Radio & Audio Media, Festival of Media Arts | Filmmaker Spotlight, Festival of Media Arts

11:30am PDT

How to Speak to a Camera

Monday April 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT

W312

Former ABC News anchor and correspondent Antonio Mora will address on-camera presentational skills on all levels, focusing on what students need to do in order to be effective broadcast news professionals and strong on-camera storytellers.
Moderator: Antonio G. Mora, University of Miami

Moderators

Antonio Mora

Wolfson Chair in Communication, University of Miami

I am a veteran national and local news anchor and correspondent best known for my years as "GMA's" news anchor. I currently teach at the University of Miami's Wolfson School of Communication, where I also serve as the faculty adviser for The Miami Hurricane and for shows on UMTV... Read More →

Monday April 20, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
W312

News, Workshop | BEA, Workshop | Student Spotlight, Workshop

12:45pm PDT

Learning Through Experimentation: Students Share How AI Shapes Media, Ethics, and Creativity — and Prepares Them for Journalism Careers

Monday April 20, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT

W304

This student-led panel showcases how future journalists are learning to navigate artificial intelligence in media production. Students from JMS 495: Artificial Intelligence in Media Production share lessons from hands-on experimentation with AI and reflect on how the course prepared them for journalism careers.

Their projects explore enduring issues: recognizing limitations like hallucinations, avoiding over-reliance, harnessing AI-enhanced creativity, and examining ethical and business implications.

Rather than focusing on specific platforms, the panel highlights critical skills, adaptability, and ethical frameworks that will remain vital as journalism continues to evolve alongside AI.
Moderator: Shawn Montano, University of Northern Colorado
Panelists: Gregory Edward Egbert, University of Northern Colorado
Kinsley Walker, University of Northern Colorado
Jaylen Lee, University of Northern Colorado

Moderators

Shawn Montano

Assistant Professsor, University of Northern Colorado

Shawn has a passion for video editing, storytelling, and teaching. In 2018 he joined the University of Northern Colorado’s Journalism and Media Studies program. He teaches News Production, Video Production, Digital Storytelling, Media Writing & Media Management. In his 20-year career... Read More →

Speakers

Jaylen Lee

Anchor/ Reporter, University of Northern Colorado

UNC senior student-athlete and aspiring anchor/reporter with hands-on experience in anchoring, reporting, and storytelling. Passionate about connecting with people and bringing energy on camera.

Kinsley Walker

Student, University of Northern Colorado

Kinsley is the executive producer of Bear News, the host and producer of the Bear in Mind podcast, a social media director for Her Campus UNCO and a writer for The Mirror

Gregory Egbert

Director of Content, Bear News, University of Northern Colorado

Greg Egbert is a Senior at the University of Northern Colorado, pursuing a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in economics.
He is one of the recipients of the 2025 Denver Press Club's Damon Runyon Scholarships and recently became one of the newest Producers in Residence w... Read More →

Monday April 20, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT
W304

Interactive Media & Emerging Technologies, Industry Issues & Updates | BEA, Industry Issues & Updates | News, Industry Issues & Updates | AI Spotlight, Industry Issues & Updates | Student Spotlight, Industry Issues & Updates

12:45pm PDT

Embracing News Influencing: Combining traditional journalism standards and social media practices

Monday April 20, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT

W311

Why aren’t more local TV news stations embracing news influencing on social media? In 2024, Pew Research Center found that 20% of adults regularly get news from influencers – and most have no affiliation or background in a news organization. Learn from two professors who began a social media news influencer project and took those lessons into the classroom; and from a local TV news reporter on the challenges of breaking through.
Moderator: Jamie Hoskins, Syracuse University
Panelists: Catherine Loper, Syracuse University
David Charns, Investigative Reporter, KLAS 8 News NOW

Moderators

Jamie Hoskins

Syracuse University

Speakers

Catherine Loper

Assistant Teaching Professor, Syracuse University

David Charns

Investigative Reporter, KLAS 8 News NOW

Monday April 20, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT
W311

News, Industry Issues & Updates | BEA, Industry Issues & Updates

2:00pm PDT

Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and Robotics in Broadcast Productions

Monday April 20, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

W304

The incorporation of AI, automation, and robotics in today’s television productions is no longer optional. Integrate these technologies into your teaching and production workflows—or risk becoming obsolete. This highly visual and practical presentation explores how institutions are building converged, dynamic environments where technology fuels critical thinking, creativity, and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Moderator: Julian Rodriguez, University of Texas - Arlington
Panelists: Brian Wheeler, Pikes Peak State College

Moderators

Julian Rodriguez

Assistant Professor of Practice, University of Texas - Arlington

Julian Rodriguez is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Communication at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and Coordinator of the UTA Amon G Carter Foundation Broadcast Production Studio. Julian’s teaching and research interests focus on broadcast journalism... Read More →

Speakers

Brian Wheeler

Faculty / Chair / Dungeon Master, Pikes Peak State College

Brian Wheeler has served as Department Chair of Broadcasting, Electronic, and Emerging Media at Pikes Peak State College since 2011. Before transitioning to academia in 2009, he built a career in commercial production, creating content for regional advertisers across the country... Read More →

Monday April 20, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
W304

News, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | BEA, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | AI Spotlight, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | Media Management & Content Strategies, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | Interactive Media & Emerging Technologies, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs

2:00pm PDT

Pitching Stories: Have We Lost the Meat and the Art?

Monday April 20, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

W312

Teaching pitching is not easy because students need to understand the meat of the story plus think of a creative and artsy way to produce the final product. This roundtable panel session could also be a decent workshop inviting BEA members to bring their best student story pitches and then show the results. The goal of this session would be to show the initial pitch, then show the best stories aired, published, and executed by our students. This interactive session will include pitches and successful stories that could be used as examples to collect and take back to share newsworthy, creative, objective, memorable, interesting, and well-sourced pitches.

Moderator: Chandra Clark, University of Alabama
Panelists: Harrison Hove, University of Florida
Carey L. Higgins-Dobney, University of Kentucky
Brittney Nix-Crawford, University of North Carolina Charlotte

Moderators

Chandra Clark

Associate Professor, University of Alabama

Speakers

Harrison Hove

Associate Chair, University of Florida

Carey L. Higgins-Dobney

Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky

Brittney Nix-Crawford

Lecturer Professor of Communication Studies and Journalism, University of North Carolina Charlotte

Monday April 20, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
W312

News, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | BEA, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | Student Spotlight, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs

3:00pm PDT

Step Into the Newsroom: A KLAS-TV Experience

Monday April 20, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm PDT

W322-W327 - BEA Exhibit Hall

Want to see what goes on behind the scenes at a local TV station? For the first time, we are offering a tour of KLAS-TV in Vegas, which is a short walk from the West Conference Hall. Bring comfy shoes and lots of questions! We leave the West Hall promptly at 3 from the Career Fair. The KLAS news director will lead the tour, featuring a live newscast, and a live look from both the studio and the control room. We’ll meet and greet other newsroom staffers along the way to get your questions answered. This is for both students and faculty BEA members. Space is limited to 20, so sign up early or be among the first 20 in line to be on the tour!

To sign up, simply add this event to your online schedule.

Moderators

Dan Salamone

News Director, KLAS, Las Vegas (Nexstar)

Monday April 20, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm PDT
W322-W327 - BEA Exhibit Hall

News, Tour | BEA, Tour

4:30pm PDT

News & Sports Production Technologies Tour

Monday April 20, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT

West Hall - 3rd Floor Lobby

Get an insider's look at technology used in contemporary news production, including broadcast, digital, and mobile reporting tools, newsroom workflows, and multiplatform content delivery.

Grass Valley
BEA members will meet with John Lyth and Greg Doggett while visiting the Grass Valley booth at NAB 2026 will be able to evaluate how industry‑standard tools can support the structure and outcomes of modern media programs. The LDX 100 camera range and K‑Frame switchers, widely used across the world's most prestigious events, provide a clear benchmark for what students should learn on to be job‑ready. The booth tour will highlight how these systems map directly to today’s technical, production, and live‑sports curricula, helping institutions shape programs that reflect real‑world workflows.
The tour will also introduce educators to Grass Valley’s AMPP platform and its relevance for curriculum design in an era of software‑defined production. AMPP’s flexible, scalable environment allows programs to teach cloud, hybrid, and remote production models without heavy capital investment. For institutions designing future‑focused courses or looking to expand production capabilities across multiple departments or campuses, AMPP offers a practical way to embed modern workflow concepts into academic programs.

More information coming soon....

Monday April 20, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
West Hall - 3rd Floor Lobby

News, Special Event, Tour | BEA, Special Event, Tour

5:30pm PDT

Closing Cocktails @ ZEN Westgate Hotel & Casino

Monday April 20, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT

ZEN @ Westgate Hotel & Casino

Back by popular demand, it's time for Closing Cocktails! And we are heading back to the Westgate Hotel & Casino! Meet us at ZEN (right in front of Benihana) for a drink to celebrate BEA2026.

Monday April 20, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
ZEN @ Westgate Hotel & Casino

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